Surgical Instrument Motor Power Switching for Lower Parasitic Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments face challenges in efficiently managing power supply to motors, leading to reduced performance and battery life due to parasitic losses and inefficient power usage.
Innovation Solution
The surgical instrument incorporates a control circuit that selectively couples power sources such as a battery, low dropout (LDO) regulator, or converter circuits to the motor based on load conditions, optimizing power usage and reducing parasitic losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a single power source configuration is used for the motor, then the device complexity is reduced, but the parasitic losses increase and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic power supply system that switches between different power source configurations (single power source, dual power sources with LDO regulator, dual power sources with converter circuits) based on real-time load conditions. The control circuit monitors motor load and automatically selects the optimal power source configuration, making the system adaptable rather than static. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to use simpler configurations when possible while utilizing more complex configurations only when needed to reduce parasitic losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the electrical parameters (voltage, current, power source configuration) based on motor load conditions. The control circuit adjusts which power sources are active and how they are connected to the motor, transforming the system from a fixed parameter design to a variable parameter design. This allows optimization of parasitic losses by matching power source characteristics to load requirements, resolving the contradiction between energy efficiency and device complexity.
2Power
If multiple power sources are used simultaneously, then the motor power output is maximized, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically activates multiple power sources only when the motor load requires maximum power output. The control circuit monitors load conditions and switches between single and dual power source configurations accordingly. This resolves the contradiction by making multi-power-source operation conditional rather than constant, achieving high power output when needed while maintaining simpler operation during normal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the power supply function into multiple independent power sources (battery, LDO regulator, converter circuits) that can be activated individually or in combination. Each power source can operate independently or work together, allowing the system to divide the power delivery task among multiple sources only when necessary for maximum power output, thereby managing complexity through modular segmentation.
3Duration of action of moving object
If power is continuously supplied to all electrical components, then the motor performance is maintained, but the battery life is reduced due to parasitic losses
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit periodically monitors motor load conditions and switches between different power source configurations accordingly. Instead of continuously supplying power from all sources, the system uses periodic assessment of load requirements to determine when to activate additional power sources. This periodic control strategy extends battery life by avoiding continuous operation of high-power configurations while ensuring motor performance is maintained when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control where the control circuit continuously monitors motor load and adjusts the power source configuration in response. The feedback mechanism ensures that additional power sources are activated only when load conditions warrant them, preventing unnecessary power consumption that would reduce battery life, while guaranteeing motor performance is maintained when high power is actually required.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument comprises a motor, a regulator, a converter circuit, and a control circuit coupled to the regulator and the converter circuit. The control circuit is to couple either the regulator, or the converter circuit based on a pre-determined load voltage or current applied to the motor.